Accelerating circular solutions to meet Europe’s water challenges
Water stress affects around 20 % of Europe’s territory and 30 % of its population annually(opens in new window), with most European surface water failing to meet the required standards(opens in new window). The record heatwaves and prolonged droughts of 2026 – with impacts on agriculture, energy production, inland navigation and ecosystems – have underscored the urgent need to strengthen water resilience as a cornerstone of climate resilience and economic competitiveness. “Europe doesn’t just need more water, it needs to manage water differently,” explains Angela Magno, coordinator of the BOOST-IN(opens in new window) project, which aims to accelerate the uptake of water and circular economy solutions (WACESs). The project combines innovation scouting, impact assessment, co-creation, policy analysis, market support and standardisation work, to identify viable solutions that are scalable across regions. “By changing governance, mindsets and organisational structures, alongside adopting reuse and recovery practices, water management can be integrated into the circular economy,” adds project researcher Rafael Casielles, from eco-innovative company BIOAZUL(opens in new window), the project host.
Context-specific circular water solutions
Through an open call and a review of European research and innovation initiatives, BOOST-IN has built a repository of 727 entries, including 218 validated WACESs(opens in new window). Thirty of these were selected for detailed assessment. In Emilia-Romagna, BOOST-IN assessed real-time microbiological monitoring tools such as aquaBio(opens in new window), to detect contamination in reclaimed water within hours. In France, Aqualarm(opens in new window) sensors were explored for remote monitoring of water quality in recycling schemes for potable supplies. And in Bulgaria, Amovion’s flow-electrode capacitive deionisation technology(opens in new window) was assessed for recovery of copper from industrial wastewater. Further assessments were carried out in Germany, Greece and Spain, with each of the six regions focused on a specific water challenge, from agricultural water reuse to industrial wastewater treatment. “Aside from whether a solution works technically, we wanted to know whether it is viable, acceptable and scalable in different contexts,” notes Magno. Stakeholder workshops were held to co-design strategies that improve uptake of the most effective solutions. The case studies highlighted that trust, transparency and clear communication are essential. “Many farmers recognise the potential of water reuse, but remain concerned about reputational damage if crops are perceived as unsafe,” says Casielles. To build confidence in the quality, safety and potential of these solutions, BOOST-IN offers guidance on regulatory routes to support harmonisation of standards at the EU and national level.
Building circular water value chains
BOOST-IN contributes to several EU policy objectives, including the EU water resilience strategy(opens in new window) and the circular economy action plan(opens in new window). Regional implementation roadmaps involving hundreds of stakeholders are now under development to improve the acceptance, governance and uptake of circular water solutions. These roadmaps are complemented by a searchable innovations database to make WACESs more accessible to potential adopters. The project is currently offering targeted commercialisation support and business mentoring to select innovators, integrated with the Water Europe Marketplace(opens in new window) platform to help stakeholders find appropriate WACESs, and publishing learning materials(opens in new window) to support the sector. “The economic opportunity is not only to sell a technology, but to build circular water value chains,” explains Magno. “Reclaimed water, recovered nutrients, energy, and secondary materials can reduce pressure on freshwater resources, lower dependency on external inputs and create new markets, provided that innovators have the right support.”
